1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to the field of vending machine apparatus and, more particularly, to coin receiving apparatus for vending machines which reduces the coin return ratio.
2. Description of the Relevant Art
Conventional coin receiving apparatus for a vending machine is known, for example, from U.S. Pat. No. 4,108,296 incorporated herein by reference as to any undisclosed features or applications of the present invention. In the disclosed apparatus, three coin detectors are arranged in sequence in a coin detection path from a coin chute permitting entry of acceptable and possibly unacceptable coins. Whenever a successively deposited coin passes through an initial coin detector, a control device in the coin receiving apparatus inhibits the operation of a detection control device for a predetermined period of time. The detection control device is normally for judging whether the first deposited coin is true or false in response to the detected outputs from the respective coin detectors. If two coins are deposited in rapid succession, the control device then stops the operation of a solenoid indicating the first coin is acceptable and then controls the rejection of the coin even if it is acceptable. Thus, the only reason for the rejection of the coin is that the coin was deposited too quickly and so too closely followed the preceding coin in the coin detection path. The rejection of the control device is controlled by a timer whose operation is defined by the length of time required for a coin to pass through the length of the coin detection path.
The operation time of the timer begins when the deposited coin passes through the initial coin detector. As coins are successively deposited during the operation time of the timer, the timer is reset. The timer begins again as each successively deposited coin passes by the initial coin detector. Accordingly, as each coin is successively deposited, any rejection controlled by the control device is resolved by the operation time of the timer concerning the last deposited coin. If the operation time has lapsed, the next deposited coin has an opportunity to not be rejected, but if the operation time has not lapsed, the coin will be rejected even if it is acceptable and just because it was deposited too quickly.
In other words, since the control device causes a coin rejection continuously for successively deposited coins until the last deposited coin is returned to the user of the vending machine, all deposited coins may be returned to the user if the user deposits the coins too quickly. The operation of the vending machine then becomes inconvenient to the user who may choose not to use the machine.